​YORK – Property tax exemptions were approved this week by the York County Commissioners (sitting as the board of equalization) which were recommended by York County Assessor Kurt Bulgrin.
Property tax exemptions are allowed if a property is being exclusively used for educational, religious or charitable purposes. There are numerous such exempt properties in the county.
This week, two needed to be altered.
Commissioner Chairman Daniel Grotz explained how “there has been a change in status for the First United Lutheran Church in York as the childcare center has moved out and they are now asking for the entire church property to be exempt.”
The childcare area had been a taxable area as it generated money and competed with the private sector.
The other property was owned by Region V, which is now Apace, Grotz said. “They needed to change the name on those buildings to Apace to continue to be exempt.”
The new exemption status changes were approved.

​YORK – There were 50 valuation protests this year in York County and 49 of those have received a decision by the York County Commissioners sitting as the board of equalization.
The 50th will be determined later, as it was filed following an over/under report and has an extended timeline.
After all the protests were held, during which Assessor Kurt Bulgrin and the board heard the property owners’ information and received evidence as to why they felt their valuations were not correct, it was all taken under advisement. Bulgrin also visited some of the properties, if the owners were interested in that happening, and the details of the properties were reviewed.
Bulgrin came back with recommendations as to whether the original valuation should stand or if he felt it should be changed. The board went through each one and voted after the process.
Through this process, Bulgrin was asked to help them understand how a valuation can be affected after it is sold. Bulgrin said “rarely does a house sell at what we have it assessed for, it usually sells for a higher amount. The sales price does not dictate the valuation. We look at the two-year history of sales in that property area.”
He also said private appraisals (which the owner had paid to have for their own purposes) “can’t be used as valuation, while yes, they are informative. Market appraisals are used differently, for different purposes.” Private appraisals do hold information the assessor’s office can use to compare for details on file for that property card, but they do not determine the valuation, Bulgrin said.
There was quite a bit of discussion about whether or not valuation should be lowered if part of a property is in a flood plain. It was noted how owners can build on/develop in the flood plain if they want – it just comes with higher insurance costs, etc.
“This property is still worth something and has value,” Commissioner Randy Obermier said.
“I’d like to see a standard for properties in a flood plain,” said Commissioner Andy Bowman.
“This is not the board of assessment, we are the board of equalization,” Obermier responded. “I’d divert to Kurt, do you want more time or are you good with what you’ve got?”
“Well, they are improved lots,” Bulgrin said.
“I think there definitely needs to be less value on a flood plain lot because I just don’t think the value is the same as it is limited in what the owner can do with it," Bowman said.
“But just because it’s in the flood plain doesn’t mean you absolutely can’t build on it at all,” Obermier said.
In the end, the board and Bulgrin agreed to go back to the 2025 valuation figures for certain protested properties where the flood plain comes into play, until they have more information.
They also had a conversation about how lots should be valued when they are without infrastructure and difficult to build on due to size. It was recognized how “the property owner bought this property for a reason, and typically lots in a municipality can be hooked up to utilities if the owner wants to pay to have that done."
Of the 49, 25 valuations were changed after new information was received and the assessor could further review what the owners' provided.
Properties owners will be notified regarding the board’s decision. If they still disagree, they can appeal with the Nebraska Tax Equalization Review Commission (TERC).
 
 
 

​YORK – This year, all the York County elected officials and department heads will be asked to publicly discuss their budgetary requests as part of the budget process.
As explained earlier by Commissioners Daniel Grotz and Randy Obermier, who are on the budget committee, they feel each department’s proposed budget should be discussed in public so everyone knows why the department heads feel they need the funding they are requested. They also said this would be a great way for the public to be more informed regarding how tax dollars are used by each department. It would be a way for the public to be more informed about the budget process.
“We are looking at the first meeting date in August to do this,” Obermier said this week as the county board members met in regular session.
“Yes, and we want all the commissioners’ thoughts on Aug. 4, as to whether we should do this in regular session during our regular meeting in the morning or should we hold a special meeting in the evening?” Commissioner Grotz said. “It may or may not attract more people from the public, having it in the evening . . . or would it be more convenient for the department heads and elected officials to have it during the work day?”
“Another thing we have to consider is how the public defender and the county attorney might prefer making their presentations in the evening as court is held during the day,” Obermier added. “Maybe we would need to do split sessions, with some in the day and some in the evening.”
Grotz said he would be reaching out to elected officials and department heads to see about their availability on Aug. 4 and when it is determined, the public will be made aware of when these sessions will be held.
 

​YORK – This week Carmen Hinman, director of the Hope Crisis Center, met with the York County Commissioners as she made her annual report and budget request. She was also accompanied by Taylor Peterson who is the victim advocate for the agency in York.
The agency serves York, Fillmore, Gage, Jefferson, Saline and Seward Counties with offices located in York, Beatrice, Crete, Fairbury and Seward.
They provide a 24-hour hotline, emergency shelter, client advocacy, medical advocacy, legal advocacy, emergency financial assistance, safety planning and prevention/education programs.
In the 2025 calendar year, they served 684 unduplicated victims; served 101 unduplicated children; served 70 minority adults; provided 22 victims with shelter; provided 22 children with shelter; provided 631 shelter nights and took 5,112 hotline calls.
They also assisted 27 clients with rent for 32 months; provided $20,181 in financial housing assistance; provided $36,149 for shelter; provided $325 in medical and mental health services; provided $4,367 in food; provided $3,302 in transportation costs; and $114 toward helping cover victims’ laundry costs.
Forty-four victims of sexual assault were served, three required medical advocacy. And they helped with 15 sexual assault protection orders.
Hinman explained how the counties’ financial contributions help with providing emergency assistance and with providing office space, especially as grant dollars are being cut.
Hinman added how they are asking for a slight increase from York County this year. Last year they asked for and received $13,000. This year, they are asking for $14,500.
“For many years, Hope Crisis Center has utilized county population data as one factor in determining county funding requests, helping create a fair and consistent approach across our seven-county service area,” she explained. “Our request reflects York County’s proportionate share of support needed to help maintain the safety net of advocacy, shelter, prevention and emergency assistance available to local residents.
“Sadly, the number of domestic homicides has been increasing in Nebraska,” Hinman said. “But we have an incredible team, which is very dedicated and goes above and beyond for the people who need our help.”
The commissioners will give further consideration to her request during the budget process. They also thanked the team at Hope Crisis Center for the services they provide.
 
 

​YORK – This past week, the York County Commissioners (sitting as the board of equalization) officially classifying four real properties as destroyed – which affects the properties’ valuations because the structures are no longer there.
If a real property is destroyed by fire, weather, etc., the owners need to fill out a Form 425 so the assessor’s office can bring it to the board and then amended the property’s value because the structure is either gone or substantially gone.
As explained by Commissioner Chairman Daniel Grotz, four property owners filed the forms as their properties were destroyed or substantially destroyed sometime between Jan. 1 and June 30.
“If this happens, they can file the report, the assessor reviews it and then puts a new value on the property,” Grotz said further.
York County Assessor Kurt Bulgrin said property owners “need to file the forms, they need to let us know, as it is a challenge for us to know otherwise if no one tells us. And in the future, I am going to be working to have better outreach with village clerks to find out about these types of situation as they know everything that happens in their towns. We don’t usually know about these situations unless the stories are reported and the forms are filed.”
The properties declared as destroyed, this week, were all due to fire, Grotz said.
 

​YORK – When the York County Commissioners meet in regular session on Tuesday, July 21, they will be considering the annual audit/budget contract, as well as continuing to hear valuation protests.
They will consider the audit/budget contract for the year with Regier, Carr and Monroe LLP, which has been handling these duties for the county for many years. While the budget formulation and the audit are vastly different tasks, the county has hired the company for both and will likely continue doing the same.
They will also hear a budget request from Carmen Hinman from Hope Crisis Center, as well as her annual update.
As the board of equalization, they have many agenda items before them:

• They will consider permissive exempts during a public hearing.
• Valuation protests will be held.
• There will also be discussion about all the protests and action on each.
• They will consider a motor vehicle tax exemption filed by Epworth Village.
• York County Assessor Kurt Bulgrin will present a three-year plan of assessment and the cemetery report.
• They will consider a report of damaged real property.

The public is encouraged to attend the Tuesday morning meeting, which will begin at 8:30 a.m., in the commissioners’ meeting room, located on the main floor of the courthouse, next door to the clerk’s office.
 
 

YORK – The deadline for incumbents to file for reelection to their village board seats has arrived and those filings are closed for the 2026 General Election.

YORK -- This past weekend, the York County Sheriff's Office and the York County Public Transportation agency participated in the annual Transportation Exploration event in York. 
This event is held each year in conjunction with Balloon Days. 
Transportation Exploration is a chance for kids to see all types of different vehicles and pieces of equipment -- including the YSO's cruisers and the public transit bus. 
Also included in this year's event, which is held in the parking lot of the Holthus Convention Center, were tow trucks, fire trucks, ambulances, skid loaders and much more. 

​YORK – It appears the York County Commissioners have been very busy beyond the board room as they each represent the county on a number of committees and governing bodies within the community and the state.

​YORK – The York County Commissioners have agreed with York County Assessor Kurt Bulgrin to discontinue a contract for GIS mapping services with SAM in order to go with VanGuard which is already providing other services for the county.
“The assessor brought this to us a few weeks ago, as he wants to go with VanGuard for GIS mapping and cancel the SAM contract which has been used a few years,” said York County Commissioner Chairman Daniel Grotz.
This change will save the county several thousand dollars a year.
The VanGuard service, however, does not include the mapping of road assets. Grotz said road assets are already mapped by the roads department through different software – they do the same thing, but that software is not available for public consumption.
“The public will continue to have GIS access through VanGuard, they just won’t have road asset information, but I’m not sure anyone uses that anyway,” Grotz said. “And if someone needs that type of information, they can contact the roads department directly.”
“The VanGuard imagery, meanwhile, is a lot clearer and works a lot more smoothly,” Commissioner Randy Obermier said.
“I have used the VanGuard system through the process of doing valuation protests, looking up parcels, etc., and I have really enjoyed using it,” Grotz said.
Commissioner Andy Bowman said he’s aware how sometimes getting used to using new technology can be challenging and frustrating, “but this VanGuard system works well.”
All the commissioners agreed to discontinue the SAM contract.